Keeping The Events Calendar and its add-ons up to date is essential for security, compatibility, and access to new features. This guide walks you through how to safely update your plugins — including how to back up your site, test updates on a staging site, and roll back if something goes wrong.

Step 1: Back Up Your Website

Before updating any plugin, create a full backup of your site — both files and database.

Recommended Backup Options:

💡 Tip: Store your backup offsite (e.g., Dropbox, Google Drive, or local download).

Step 2: Turn Off Automatic Plugin Updates

We strongly recommend disabling automatic updates for The Events Calendar and its add-ons. Automatic updates can cause unexpected conflicts or issues — especially on high-traffic or customized sites.

To check:

  • Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins
  • Find The Events Calendar and any related add-ons
  • If you see “Enable auto-updates”, leave it off
  • If it’s already enabled, click “Disable auto-updates”

This gives you full control over when and how updates are applied — so you can back up, test, and monitor safely.

Step 3: Test Updates on a Staging Site First

Before updating on your live site, test updates in a staging environment. This allows you to catch potential errors without affecting real users or registrations.

  • Many hosts offer staging environments (e.g., WP Engine, Flywheel, Kinsta)
  • Or use a plugin like WP Staging

Step 4: Prepare for the Update

Before running any updates, make sure to:

  1. Check Compatibility
  2. Temporarily Disable Caching
    • Turn off caching plugins and server-side caching to prevent update conflicts
  3. (Optional) Enable Maintenance Mode
    • Use a plugin like WP Maintenance Mode to alert visitors if you’re updating during business hours

Step 5: Update the Plugins

Go to Dashboard → Updates or Plugins, and click Update Now next to each Events Calendar plugin.

Manual Upload (if needed)

  1. Download the latest version from your The Events Calendar account
  2. Deactivate and delete the existing version (your event data is safe)
  3. Upload the new version via Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
  4. Activate the plugin

For more details on manual upload, please see our article here.

Step 6: Test After Updating

After updating:

  • Clear all caches (browser, plugin, and server)
  • Visit your main Events page, single event pages, and ticketing checkout
  • Test creating events, purchasing tickets, or recurring event logic (if applicable)

If something looks off:

  • Go to Settings → Permalinks → Save Changes to flush permalinks
  • Temporarily switch to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-Four
  • Deactivate other plugins to rule out conflicts

For more details on conflict testing, you can refer to our article here.

Step 7: Roll Back if Needed

If an update causes a problem, you have options:

Option 1: Restore From Backup

Use your host’s backup tool or plugin backup to roll back your site.

Option 2: Manual Plugin Rollback

  1. Download the previous version from your account dashboard
  2. Deactivate and delete the current plugin
  3. Upload and activate the older version

⚠️ Important: If you need to roll back, please contact our support team with details so we can investigate.

Need Help?

If you run into issues or have questions, our support team is happy to help!

TAGS:
Notify us of out of date information